The NATO processVotes on the NATO issue

 

Stoltenberg and Kristersson. Henrik Montgomery/TT  

 

The NATO processVotes on the NATO issue  

Analysis: Parliament opens in October - a lot can happen  

 

The Turkish parliament does not open until October after the summer, and according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the parliament cannot meet before then. 

 

SVT's security reporter John Granlund believes that Turkey will use the time to see how Sweden behaves on the issues that Erdogan sees as particularly important: the fight against terrorism and Islamophobia. 

 

- Things can happen during this period, which in practice is several months long, he says, noting that Sweden's entry into NATO is not yet completely clear.  

 

It was when DN's Ewa Stenberg asked about the timetable for ratification that Erdogan announced that Sweden would not become a member until this fall at the earliest. In an analysis, Stenberg writes that the announcement means that the Swedish ministers have once again "been dribbled away by Erdogan". 

 

To the Swedish politicians, it has sounded as if an entry into the alliance is only weeks away, something that Erdogan knocked down, she writes.  

 

"Erdogan did not want to rush the Turkish parliament's treatment at all, as the Swedish foreign minister had hoped."

 

Erdogan Pavel Golovkin / AP  

 

The NATO process|Sweden's application 

Erdogan: Turkey can approve Sweden's application only after the summer  

 

The Turkish parliament will not vote on the Swedish NATO application until after the summer. This is announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a press conference in Vilnius. According to Erdogan, the parliament is closed for two months and also has a lot of bills and international meetings on its table. 

 

- Parliament must draw up a list of priorities, but our goal is obviously to address the issue as quickly as possible, he says.  

 

Erdogan spent a large part of the press conference talking about the fight against terrorism and Islamophobia, and the "solidarity" that NATO allies should show on these issues.  

 

- We must fight terrorism without any ifs or buts, he said.  

 

The Turkish president also said that he expects concrete progress from Sweden on these points. 

  

- We expect that Sweden's government will not tolerate hate crimes that humiliate Muslims, he said, referring to the Koran burnings.  

 

Kajsa Ollongren Virginia Mayo / AP 

 

Dutch minister: "Wouldn't celebrate the entry yet"  

 

It is not time to celebrate Sweden's entry into NATO until the final announcement has come from the Turkish parliament. That's what Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren told DI.  

 

- But on the other hand, you could see the relief of all the allies. So I think it would be politically very difficult to once again ask for things that are not part of your NATO commitments, says the Dutch minister. 

 

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) said he celebrated Monday's promise from Erdogan with a beer. Something that Ollongren calls a "bold move". Erdogan,

 

 

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and US President Joe Biden in the White House. Evan Vucci/AP  

 

A year of diplomacy - that's how Washington fought for Sweden  

 

In order to get Sweden into NATO, American diplomats have had to work hard to get politicians at home to agree to sell the F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. CNN portrays the American game behind the scenes.  

 

The fighter jets have functioned as an implied demand from Turkey to admit Sweden into NATO.  

 

At the same time, Turkish officials are said to have been told earlier this year by nearly 30 American senators that there will be no sale of the F-16 plane as long as Ankara blocks Sweden's entry into the military alliance. The process from the USA's side to get Sweden involved has been going on for over a year.